Natokowaqa youth club applaud Vodafone ATH grant

Natokowaqa Pygmies Youth Club received grant from Vodafone ATH Fiji Foundation to help the School dropouts and problem youths. Foundation Executive Ambalika Devi Prakash said these youths have now been

Natokowaqa Pygmies Youth Club received grant from Vodafone ATH Fiji Foundation to help the

School dropouts and problem youths.

Foundation Executive Ambalika Devi Prakash said these youths have now been trained as carpenter’s and builders.

Ms Prakash said: “Vodafone ATH Fiji Foundation continues to identify needs and help those that are in need and often left out. So far Foundation has made 19m worth of Social investment in Fijian communities.

“The Natokowaqa Pygmies was formed by two reformed prisoners in Lautoka and currently have 35 members,” said the youth president Joseteki Labalaba.

“We formed the youth group with a plan to transform problem youths and built their capacities in areas that can create self employment.”

He said said Natokowaqa and Top Line would benefit greatly from the Vodafone ATH Foundation funding.

“When we mention that we’re from Natokowaqa and Top Line, people warn us to keep safe and be careful said Mr Labalaba.

“It’s like a stigma and we want to change the thoughts people have and prove it by doing things that is right and create avenues to generate revenue and keep the youth busy in doing good deeds.”

He said they would use the funds to buy carpentry tools and equipment and use the same to build homes and generate revenue.

“We are aspiring to create social impact in the lives of youths in our neighbourhood by changing our behaviours and making good use of our God given life,” he said.

“We have been in and out of prison many times and we know it’s only a matter of time when these idle boys will resort to criminal activities for food and survival.”

So far we have 35 youths from poor backgrounds, single mothers and broken families he said. Some 17 more have shown interest.

“We also received a truck in donation and recently we did walk-a-thorn and raised $6000 for the disable, said Mr Labalaba.

“We are so greatly to the generous donation in timely fashion on first day of 2018 he said. These funds will keep us problem youths getting on with productive lives instead of trial and error crime and ending up in prison and then trying to rebuild our lives as prisoners. We now using proactive approach ensuring that no one ends up in prison and they don’t waste time in transforming but do the right thing from the word go.

“We also have plans to do a grass cutting business and this is the next project in line while we simultaneously execute help for home building initiative.”

“Youth Administrator Kamaneli Mataisadrata said: “This project will help steer youth away from entering prison as they resort to wrong doings when they are in need of funds.”